Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has officially renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan in honour of the late former governor of the state, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo.
The announcement was made on Thursday during an interdenominational commendation service held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, as part of a series of final tributes to the elder statesman.
“The institution will now be known as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan,” Governor Makinde declared during his remarks.
Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, who passed away on April 6, 2025—just weeks before his 90th birthday—was the pioneer Rector of the institution before becoming governor of Oyo State. His contributions to education and governance have continued to resonate across generations.
In a separate event on Wednesday, held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, the governor disclosed plans to preserve and digitise Olunloyo’s personal library. Makinde described the library as “a treasure trove of knowledge capable of offering solutions to numerous challenges facing the country.”
He added that the library would be transformed into a tourist attraction as part of efforts to immortalise the late scholar and statesman.
Makinde also revealed plans to inaugurate the Omololu Olunloyo Leisure Park located in the Alakia Airport area of Ibadan—a project named after the late governor in 2023. Additionally, the state had earlier named the 3-kilometre Airport Road in his honour.
Reflecting on Olunloyo’s impact on his administration, Makinde said: “I have lost a partner. Sometimes, he would tell me how some problems were solved before my time in the state. When people look at me and wonder how come Oyo State has been so peaceful during my tenure, they don’t know that I go to these leaders and they analyse things for me and leave me to make the best decisions for the state.”
He continued: “We must give honour to whom it is due. This event is important; it is an avenue for us to give a befitting passage to an individual who gave a good part of his life to serve this state and country.”
Makinde concluded his tribute with a public promise: “Two things I need to let this gathering know. One is the fact that the Omololu Olunloyo Park is ready for commissioning and we will open it soon.
“Two, in most of my discussions with Baba, there was no way we would talk and wouldn’t get to the issue of his library. So, I am making a public announcement now that the state would support the family to preserve and digitise that library.”
